There are certain things I don’t really keep track of. For example: I couldn’t tell you who the latest Bachelor is. I couldn’t tell you if that show’s even on air right now.
I was surprised to check my Twitter and discover that it was #AgentsDay. For me, this falls in line with a holiday that you may have debated about. It’s nice, and I appreciate the sentiment, but it shouldn’t be an obligation, and it sure isn’t a defining moment in that relationship.
The fact is, the day shouldn’t be any different. Instead, focus on these ways to show your appreciation on a regular basis. I’m not talking about sending your new or prospective agent chocolates or flowers or wine or statues of them that you carved in stone with your bare hands. Listed below are simple habits, little actions we absolutely love that will make us want to sign you and keep you forever-ever.
1. Talk business. Your agent is your business partner, not your therapist. If you’re concerned with issues about your book, we’d love to help. If you’re concerned with issues about your ex, your dog, or an overall lack in performance from your houseplants, your best bet is a friend and maybe a drink.
2. Don’t limit your communication to complaints. Nobody likes to be on the receiving end of rants about how many things currently aren’t to your liking. Be respectful and have a constructive attitude. Ask why. Seek solutions. Ask if there’s anything you can do to help. There often isn’t, and you’ll just have to accept that. But sometimes there is. Sometimes the solution has been sitting in your lap the whole time, and you just haven’t noticed it. And if there’s something we’ve done that you particularly love, be sure to let us know. We’ll do our best to maximize the good as well as minimize the bad.
3. Leave your ego at the door. Seriously. Don’t even let it in the room. For the author/agent relationship to be a successful one, each party has to recognize who is the expert in which area. Realize that everyone involved can benefit from perspective and that you share the same goal in the end.
4. Take the same care with each manuscript that you took with the one that nabbed you the agent. Just because you’ve signed doesn’t mean you get to relax. Go through all the steps that you need to do your best work. Maintain your writing regimen. And once you have a manuscript, revise. Revise your ass off. Don’t let that quality slip. I’m constantly consoling agent friends who, having fallen in love with a client’s first manuscript, then receive a sophomore effort that’s a complete disaster. They all say the same thing: “They showed such promise, but it looks like they only had one book in them. I may have to let them go.”
5. Be career-minded. Have more than one project in the works, and tell us what you have coming up. We generally prefer career writers to one-offs, and we can do a much better job of building your career if we know what we have at our disposal.
6. Create your own opportunities. I’m constantly forwarding pertinent news articles, viral blogs, fan posts, and overall helping my clients take advantage of any opportunities I happen to come across. I’ve even booked speaking engagements for them from time to time when appropriate. Your agent is your single biggest cheerleader, aside from maybe your mom. And like your mom, your agent is not your publicist. Sometimes even your publicist is not your publicist, but I digress. To make it in this business, you have to be a self-starter. You have to assume responsibility for your own success. Those you surround yourself with can increase your chances of success, but you’re the only one who can guarantee it. This is especially important for debut authors.
7. Have patience. Clients’ needs most often take priority over such things as the slush pile or having a social life or sleep, but they aren’t the only item on the to-do list. Agents are charged with a large number and a wide variety of tasks. It’s just the nature of the business. One reason why I love this job so much is that no two workdays are exactly alike. We’re always handling some issue or ten that pops up with or without warning. Today is my assigned day to post on the blog. I saw that coming. I was also just contacted by the head of a major industry publication, requesting my presence as a speaker at their upcoming conference. I didn’t see that coming, but I’ll do that, too. And I will read that manuscript, and I will get to those edits, and I will call about that submission, etc. These things will get done, well and in due time.
8. Communicate openly, effectively, and reasonably. In the end, everything really falls on this. Communication is vital, and if you find you aren’t connecting with your new or prospective agent, you need to have a serious discussion. Express your needs, feelings, and concerns. Talk about how and how often you want to connect. I call some clients. I email others. I text, Facebook, tweet, IM, and even meet some in person. I connect with some clients almost daily. Others can go weeks if not longer. Establish with that agent what your comfort zone is and ask them about theirs. We often dread the client who sends 30 frivolous emails a day or calls in the middle of the night just as much as we dread the client who won’t ever return our messages or give us straight answers to simple questions.
There are more noteworthy items, but that’s a good list for now. I do want to point out that I’m very touched at the support our agency has received on #AgentsDay. I wholeheartedly believe that we have the best clients, and I’m looking forward to adding more. But if you really want us to feel appreciated, do the above. And mention us in the acknowledgements section when we sell your book.
